Egypt Daily News – Many Western European countries, especially Spain, Portugal, and parts of France, experienced a widespread power outage that began at midday on Monday, April 28, 2025.
The power outage caused widespread disruption affecting millions of people and leading to disturbances in transportation, communications, and vital services, with the event being described as “unprecedented.”
Details of the Crisis
The crisis began in Spain at 12:30 PM local time when the power went out in most major cities, including Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, and other areas.
The outages then spread to Portugal, with the capital Lisbon being heavily affected, and extended to southern France, with reports of minor effects in Belgium, Germany, Italy, and Andorra, bringing the total number of affected European countries to seven.
All trains in Spain were halted, and the power outage led to the closure of the Madrid and Barcelona metro systems, causing evacuations from stations amidst chaos. Major airports like Barajas Airport in Madrid were also affected, leading to flight disruptions. In Lisbon, the subway stopped, and communication networks and internet services were disrupted over vast areas.
The crisis heavily impacted vital sectors. In transportation, train and metro operations were halted, and traffic lights malfunctioned, leading to traffic jams in Madrid and Lisbon.
In healthcare, hospitals like “La Paz” in Madrid had to rely on emergency generators, while mobile phone services were disrupted in wide areas, making coordination between authorities and citizens more difficult. Many businesses, particularly those reliant on the internet and energy, were forced to stop operations.
Possible Causes
The authorities have not identified the exact cause of the outage, but several possibilities are being discussed, depending on the country. In France, it is believed that a fire in Mount Alaric in the southwest of the country damaged a high-voltage power line, affecting the interconnected European grid.
In Spain, there are reports of a technical fault in the European electrical network, especially in the Iberian Peninsula, while a cyberattack has not been ruled out, though there is no confirmed evidence of it yet.
The Spanish government held an emergency meeting at the Moncloa Palace and urged citizens to avoid using the emergency number 112 unless in critical situations.
Later, “Red Eléctrica” announced that it had started to restore power gradually in the northern and southern regions, and the process could take between 6 to 10 hours.
In Portugal, authorities confirmed that they were working to restore service in coordination with Spain, while French authorities stated that the outages were limited to the southern regions, with efforts underway to secure the network. The European Commission for Energy launched an investigation to understand the causes of the crisis, with calls for increased investments in the electrical grid.
This crisis highlights the vulnerability of Europe’s electrical grids, especially with the increasing reliance on intermittent renewable energy sources and the shift away from traditional fossil fuels.
A recent study indicated that Europe’s electricity grid faces an existential threat due to the accelerating efforts for carbon neutrality without sufficient investment in flexible systems.
In March 2025, electricity prices fell by 30% thanks to nuclear and solar energy, but the reliance on natural gas remains a challenge, especially with global price fluctuations.
The crisis also underscores the need for flexible solutions, such as electricity storage technologies and enhancing interconnected grids. Italy, the UK, and Germany are leading investments in battery storage, but these solutions may take years to meet the growing demand.
